The Last Samurai
by Lilting Lithium
Summary: Based off the movie The Last Samurai. Will basically be the movie but in book form, and two characters replaced by Fem!America and Japan. Amelia Jones, American military advisor and personification of the United States of America, is forced to embrace the Samurai culture that she was hired to destroy after she is captured in battle. Heavily hinted Kiku/Amelia.
1. Chapter 1

**_Chapter 1: A Bright Blue Tiger _**

_They say Japan was made by a sword._

_They say that the old gods dipped a coral blade into the ocean, and when they pulled it out, four perfect drops fell back into the sea and became the islands of Japan._

_But I say, Japan was made by a handful of brave men. Warriors, willing to give their lives for what seems to have become a forgotten word: honor._

* * *

_A white tiger, turned bright blue from the moonlight, made a low rumbling sound from the back of her throat. She was surrounded by a pack of dogs, all ten of them snarling and gnashing their teeth. The tiger's eyes burned with fury as she wheels in a circle, lunging at one dog, clawing at another; keeping them all at bay. Suddenly, the tiger leaps over the dogs and transforms into a white bird, soaring majestically into the sky-_

Ajapanese man sits up abruptly; waking from a dream. His dark bangs clumped to his forehead from sweat, and his thin sheet clung to his body. He wearily ran his hand across his forehead, pushing the damp hair away as he lets out a steady breath.

* * *

**I wanted so badly to extend this chapter and make it longer so it wasn't so short and ugly. But if I did it would've messed everything else up. Just think of this as that short beginning thing some books have that no one ever reads.**

**Also in this story, I've made changes to how a personified nation works. I've made them more human. Fore example, the heal at the same rate humans can, and can die, but it takes more to kill them than humans. However, when they die, it kind of represents a cultural change to a nation, or something. I really don't know how to describe it. Like if there is a a group of people that begins to really stand out in a country, the personification would become like them. For Japan, it would be a samurai. Take like When Imperialism in Russia ended, Ivan would die, but then come back. Countries don't know when something like that will happen though. Just go along with it guys, even if you don't get it. Like, this is really just something the only makes sense in my head, and then when I try to explain it to others it makes no sense.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The 23rd Rode on to Glory**

"Amelia."

A girl looks up quickly at the sound of her name. She's young, and looks no more than eighteen or nineteen. Her eyes are lined with exhaustion and an unreadable emotion as she slowly speaks.

"Yes sir?"

"Tell everyone the story of your battle on Sutter's Hill."

She slowly looks around the oval table, filled with important congressmen and Military officials. Their attention was turned to her, staring holes through her as she shifted uncomfortably in her dress. She looked to her speaker on the other end of the table, Ruthford B. Hayes, President of the United States, and stared at him pleadingly. He merely stared back with an expecting gaze. She cleared her throat slightly, racking her brain for a way to direct the attention off her.

"I wouldn't' want to interrupt you're conversations with my boring story-"

"Nonsense, you haven't spoken a word since we sat down." She sighed silently in defeat. Taking a slow breath, she straightened up in her seat. Her president didn't want the actual story, he wanted the glorified version. The version that she wrote out and memorize specifically for occasions like these. Of course, it only makes sense. Who wouldn't want to hear magnificent battle tales directly from the the personification of the United States herself? But what they wanted were stories filled with happy endings and victory marches. To please them, she rewrote the stories and half heartedly memorized to please all the people who ask her to tell them the story. However, the grim reality of what happened was very different from the dashing tale.

"…On that faithful day, Johnny Red had us in a spot, perched on the lonely top of Sutter's Hill, nothing but grey as far as the eye could see." Her narration was halting and unsteady as she forced the words from her mouth.

"Unhorsed and out of ammunition, I gazed down in- into the, um, mael… mael…" She faltered, losing her concentration as she stumbled over her own words.

"Maelstrom." A military official offered. Amelia coughed slightly, nodding towards him in thanks.

"Right- maelstrom below us, and saw them moving up. I knew it was fight or die; Into the teeth of the enemy or we would all be buried… buried…" Her façade was beginning to crumble as she struggled to continue.

"…buried on the same hill, with our comrades already gone to merciful heaven…"

_Union soldiers scream in agony. The horses still alive bucked and frothed at their tether._

_Here, she was only a lieutenant, as she pushed her way through the panicking bloody men, stoping beside a nineteen year old private named David Algren._

_"They're coming, Amelia." He says, as rebel troops moved up the hill._

_"Keep your head down. Watch me and do exactly as I say." She says, slapping him on the shoulder._

_"Aye-aye, lieutenant." _

_She leans against a neighboring tree, clutching onto her empty revolver for dear life despite her injured hand. She pushes herself back up and moves down the line, bullets whizzing overhead. She kneels down next to her commanding officer, Colonel Bagley._

_"We need a flag! Find me a goddam white flag!" He shouts, dirt and sweat smeared across his face._

_"What are you talking about!"_

_"Surrender, dammit! That't an order!" _

"There was no thought of surrendering among anyone. '_Better to die as god made us_,' we thought, '_as soldiers…''_"

Neighboring tables around them had begun to listen in as well, her high voice ringing throughout the large room.

"There were only thirty of us, but we had fire in us yet. I looked down the hill at the destiny ordained for us, and gave the order: '_Mister Bugler, charge.'"_

_Amelia lead a chaotic cavalry charge down the hill towards the advancing rebel infantry- artillery explosions- bullets snapping- trees shattering._

"And straight into them we went."

_Carnage. Union and Confederate soldiers slam together, falling, drowning in mud and blood, stepped on my panicked horses._

_A soldier riding next to her was shot, his horse falling into a shellhole._

"'_Hurrah!'_ We shouted, for we had spirit in us yet-"

_Amelia desperately sliced left and right with her sword, only to get knocked back off her horse as she was shot in the shoulder. All air left her lungs when her back collided with the ground. Near her, David lay dazed on the ground with several bullet wounds, attempting to lift himself. She forces her way up and back onto her horse. She tried rallying her men, screaming orders as she manages to lift David up and onto her saddle. She leads her men downhill for safety, David clinging to her back for dear life._

"Before they knew what hit them, we had broken through into the rear of the rebel army."

_Amelia and her men gather in a copse of trees, all, including her, heaving for breath. They look around slowly, weary smiles breaking onto some of their faces. _

_The relief, however, is short lived. The woods suddenly erupt with gunfire. She lifted her arms, preparing for the impact of the bullets, but is knocked off her saddle and lands harshly on her side. Noticing the absence of bullets, she slowly opens her eyes._

_David is riddled with gunshots, his dead body shielding Amelia from harm until_

_he slides, lifelessly, to the mud._

_"Davey!"_

_Men and horses are torn apart- they contort and writhe in agony- jerking_

_grotesquely as the bullets rip into them. Amelia frantically tries to locate the_

_source of the bullets, running foreword blindly. Bullets rip into steed and foot soldiers alike all around her. She fell to the mud, numb and insentient._

"And the 23rd rode on to glory."

Applause resounded through the large room as Amelia feigned a bashful smile.

At the back of the hall three elegantly dressed Japanese men donning Western frock coats and top hats watched The United State's performance, passing each other a side glance before departing from the room.

* * *

**I wasn't sure which president to use because the movie gives no specific details of what year it is. The only information was that it takes place during the 19th century (1801-1900) and the the Meiji Period (1868-1912). It also said in a description that the original main character (who is being played by Amelia) was a veteran of the civil war (1861-1865) and the indian war (1622-1924). So basically, the dates don't match up. And the movie, historical accuracy wise, was a total disaster. Plus Katsumoto (who is being played by Kiku) lived during like the 1400's or something . So don't judge me if everything in the story is inaccurate, I'm just basing it off the movie (Although I'm editing a lot of things out and changing them). But I eventually did find a date, 1876. I'm not sure if it's right, but I'm using it. So that makes the president Ruthford B. Hayes. Ever heard of him before? No neither have I. **

**I also don't really plan on continuing this. I just kinda found it in one of my folders and decided to edit it a bit and upload it. If I get enough reviews I'll probably continue though.**


End file.
